The members of the U.S. Education Mission were ushered into a room in the palace where there were no chairs. Everybody stood around awkwardly while Hirohito asked elaborate questions about the weather. Then the Emperor came to the point: Could the Mission recommend an American tutor for the Crown-Prince? Says Chairman George D. Stoddard (now president of the University of Illinois): "I gulped a few times on that one. Then I said, yes indeed, we could all think of someone."
A little later, over tea and cakes, it was the Japs who were surprised...
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